A further great location let down by staff

Wolwedans holds itself out as an upmarket camp and doesn't really deliver - a view shared by other guests and noted by a local Namibian we met on our trip.

The location is fabulous and the accomodation is good. The 'ladies' running the camp were very friendly and helpful, and served some very good 5 course dinners and a good breakfast and salad at lunch.

But the effort to have all guests sit at one table really didn't work especially with guests of differing languages. Some asked to be seated elsewhere on their second night. I agree with another review that it would be nice to have some of the guides aorund at meal times whereas they return to the base camp.

Oryx regularly came to the waterhole and walked around the camp. We saw little other game close to the camp though saw a lot of wildlife on the drive into the Wolwedans base camp.

The big let down was the activities. We really weren't given much detail on options and were not told about the option to do a full day game drive (the activity all other guests told us was the best option). For the first night the only option was a short drive to a sundown point where other vehicles also attended so there was a large group of 3 vehicles. The following morning we did an early morning drive (unfortunately in a closed vehicle) to take some photographs of the area. In the afternoon after some negotiation we had a short walk with busman guides which was interesting but short, as the only other option was the same sundown trip. We couldn't do a long morning drive on our final day so asked about a further walk, but they couldn't provide a guide so we couldn't do anything before we left.

It all seemed a hassle to them to organise activities. We didn't feel we benefitted as much as we could have done in the fabulous location. We would comment that Matthew, a fairly new guide, was very friendly and tried to be helpful.

Wolwedans Dune Camp review

Beyond excellent...definitely one of the highlights. The location was utterly stunning (far surpasses Kulala): the scale, the vastness, etc. Driving there helps you really appreciate the contrasts. Physical execution on the site is superlative, blending man-made with nature-made. The people make this place shine big time...not to be missed. The "three divas" (led by the wonderful Helena) who took care of us were unforgettable: Helena cracking jokes and singing menus; Elizabeth's culinary artistry amazed (the best on our trip), and Marina's gentility added subtle sparkle to this wonderful mix of staff. Our guide Mose's gentle manner, polite, quiet, and unassuming, seemed unequivocally to be trying very hard to improve his English to share his love of the land and the environment. We both felt that this place is absolutely not to be missed: people, setting, etc. I almost cried when we had to leave!

Wolwedans Dune Camp review

Impressive location, fabulous accommodation and food although some variety would be an improvement i.e. eland steak first night, beef steak second night and kudu steak third night. All beautifully cooked along with the other courses, but steak three nights in a row!

Staff were delightful and tried very hard although this was the first camp were we have not eaten with at least one of the guides and there was no camp representative eating with the guests. The camp would have benefitted from more staff presence front of house.

Finally, Wolwedans prides itself on its eco credentials however asking guests to postpone having laundry done until the next camp is a bit of a cheek!

One of the most beautiful places

The scenery of this reserve is absolutely stunning - red sands contrasting with pale green / yellow color of the grass, against the backdrop of a beautiful mountain range. And you got all of this from your camp. There were some but not too much wildlife (mainly oryx), but the whole point was the beautiful reserve itself.

Services were top class. Dinner was a 5-course meal and usually featured game (oryx, springbok or kudu) which we found quite exotic but very good. Great house wine - probably some of the best we had on in Africa.

The camp gave us a private vehicle through our stay, probably as our timing of arrival and departure didn't quite work with other guests, and also some of other guests came in a big family group. Much appreciated gesture regardless. The only minor negative is that we didn't feel our guide was that enthusiastic. He obliged to our requests generally, but we felt we had to push a bit for going out relatively early or making interesting stops on the drive.

A stunning luxury retreat

A truely stunning location, appreciated at all times of the day but perhaps best of all, sipping a coffee specially brought to the tent door in a flask each morning. Somewhere to relax and unwind and feel totally lost in the Africa experience.

Excellent 'sundowner' drives into the local mountains. Good company around the dinner table, with a small number of guests, and amazing excellent quality food. Specially prepared gluten free versions too.

Champagne & gift basket for our anniversary was much appreciated, and accompanied a lunch in the shade while the Oryx looked on from under their tree nearby!

Spectacular location - shame about mosquitoes

After a wonderful, scenic flight from Windhoek over the Sossuvlei dunes, we were efficiently met at the airstrip (quite a few animals here), and transferred by our lady guide up the hill to the camp. It was one of the most beautiful and spectacular locations of our entire trip. There are just 7 rooms (frequented by Angelina and Brad, so we were regularly told), each of which is spacious and comfortable, with big beds. Rooms have a private verandah with sunrise views.

Tea and biscuits are left outside for you at dawn, a thoughtful touch. Accordingly, you can take tea while you watch the sunrise from your bed. The central area is quite small and indoor dining is a bit dark and gloomy. Outdoor dining and drinks around the campfire are charming, and the food is very high quality indeed. Drinks are included. Dining is communal but can be private if you wish. The dining area overlooks a small waterhole which attracts a lot of oryx, who wander through the camp. Overall, this is a tranquil, beautiful spot in the rocky desert, where you get a real feel for the climate and the landscape. The night skies are astonishing.

On the down side, the manager was rather defensive and not too energetic. There were meant to be such options as riding and massage, but neither was available. Bedroom make up service was slip shod, with towels left where they were found on chairs, the bathroom not tidied up. The worst offence was the complete absence of mosquito protection – no nets, and open-sided cabins. When we asked for insect spray we were told it was ‘out of stock’. Accordingly, sleep was a problem (for all guests – a breakfast topic of conversation!). We were in cabin 7, furthest away from the dining area, and it was rather a trudge through deep sand there and back – perhaps a walkway would be a good investment here.

Activities include all-day drives in the park, which I would highly recommend. Although game is sparse, the park is very attractive and the scenery changes. Our guide informed us about the geology and we walked around a bit to look at animal tracks. We saw oryx, springbok, zebra, one of the 3 giraffes in the park, big herds of red hartebeest, ostrich, a monitor lizard at a waterhole, mongoose and ground squirrels, and various birds (including the endemic dune lark – nothing much to look at but one to tick off). We even saw two aardwolf right by the side of the road.

We have always believed that acting responsibly is the only way to approach tourism and we're one of
the few companies to hold AITO's original coveted 5-star status for responsible tourism. It's a lead
that others are now following.